11/25/20 6:20 a.m. 

Staff with the City of Roseburg say they are taking steps to improve housing options in the community.

A release says the Community Development Department, supported by a grant from the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, is pursuing changes in the Roseburg Municipal Code that will support greater opportunities for middle housing development.

The release says “middle housing”  is defined by the state as the types of housing that are more affordable and meet the needs of low-income households who do not require the large space of a single-family detached home. that includes duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, and cottage clusters. House Bill 2001, passed in 2019, allows Oregonians to develop middle housing in cities based on population criteria.

Community Development Director Stuart Cowie says a housing analysis done in 2019 found that Roseburg’s population is forecast to increase by over 5,500 people in the next 20 years. Cowie says that means over 2,600 new homes will need to be built to meet the demand.

The release says in order to assist in the process of adopting changes in the City Code, the City has created a Stakeholder Advisory Committee. The committee consists of industry professionals whose knowledge and experience will help to guide city staff.

The SAC will have a virtual Open House to update the community and take public input via Facebook Live on Tuesday, December 8th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Go to the City of Roseburg Facebook page to connect to that meeting.

Communications Specialist Eric Johnson talked bout the project on Inside Douglas County Tuesday on News Radio 1240 KQEN. That interview is a KQEN podcast at 541radio.com.